Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with computer monitors, as an example.
Heretofore, in this field, there has been an increased demand for portable computer systems such as laptop, notebook, and recently, subnotebook computers. These portable computers have dramatically increased the mobility of computing power for the computer user. Since the first portable computer, manufacturers have increased computer mobility by decreasing the size and weight of portable computers. In addition, battery life has been substantially increased.
The monitors presently used with portable computers contribute greatly to the overall size and weight of the computer. Whether the monitor is monochrome display, dual-scan color display, or active matrix color display, the monitor must be of a sufficient size to provide the user with readable images. In addition, the monitor places a great burden on the available system power resources. In some portable applications, the monitor may use as much as 40 percent of the available system power resources.
Portable computers generally require the user to flip up the monitor in order to use the computer. This procedure has proven to be inconvenient or impossible during some portable computer applications such as airline travel.
Many desktop computer users have a monitor located on desks which may not have been originally designed for supporting a monitor. These desktop computer monitors typically require a substantial portion of the desktop computer user's desk space. In addition, while these monitors provide screens that are typically larger than the screens of portable computers, desktop computer users commonly complain of eye strain associated with the use of these monitors.
Presently, both portable computer monitors and desktop computer monitors utilize an analog display, typically cathode ray tubes (CRT) or liquid crystal display (LCD). These analog displays, however, create a limiting factor on today's high end computer graphics displays. Digital display systems overcome some of the limitations of the analog technology by providing the advantages of digitally generated graphics displays with exceptional visual quality, pure color fidelity, no electromagnetic radiation, high contrast ratio, no warm up time, simpler optics, and higher reliability. In addition, images that are created, processed, distributed, and stored digitally can be displayed in a completely digital form.